JVM Languages

NetBeans IDE 7.4 Embraces Android and iOS

Continued enhancements to JavaFX, PHP, C/C++, and Maven for software project management

The NetBeans IDE version 7.4 release arrives this week with extended and advanced HTML5 development support.

As readers will know, NetBeans IDE is described as the "original free Java IDE" and provides support for several languages (PHP, JavaFX, C/C++, JavaScript) and frameworks.

February this year saw NetBeans IDE 7.3 with what was called out as advanced HTML5, JavaScript, and CSS development capabilities. The new release builds upon this and the support for Java EE and PHP applications.

New support this time around sees mobile web development on the Android and iOS platforms embraced. There is also support for the Cordova framework and its set of device APIs designed to give mobile focused developers access to native device functions (such as a camera or accelerometer) from JavaScript.

Additional highlights include support for preview versions of JDK 8 as well as continued enhancements to JavaFX, PHP, C/C++, and the Maven software project management and comprehension tool.

Based on the concept of a project object model (POM), Maven can manage a project's build, reporting, and documentation from a central piece of information.

NetBeans IDE 7.4 is on something of a world tour and so is available in English, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, Russian, and Simplified (as opposed to Complicated) Chinese.

Also here there is editing support for stylesheet languages including SASS and LESS, options for browser switcher in the main toolbar, the ability to save changes from Chrome Developer Tools, and a network monitor.

In terms of JavaScript notes, developers will find editing support for AngularJS, Knockout and ExtJS frameworks, navigator, and code folding in JSON files plus enhanced code completion with "improved accuracy" all round.

In terms of PHP-related updates, HTML5 features will be available in PHP applications, there is Nette Framework 2 (with Latte templates) and Zend Framework 2 support, Atoum testing framework support, and programmers will also find Editor and Rename type refactoring improvements.

Extended notes also point to Java Preview support for JDK 8, a new Tasks Dashboard and Notifications windows, Lock Contention for profiling tasks, a Bugzilla Offline Mode, and enhancements to Versioning tools Subversion, Git, and Mercurial.

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